Castle-an-Dinas Steam Winder

The Castle-an-Dinas Steam Winder which was installed at South Shaft has a story which is told on this page. The images have been supplied by Tony Brooks along with his permission to use them on this site, I like this tale and wanted to include it with the Castle-an-Dinas content.
In 1908 the winder built by Holman Brothers was supplied to the King Edward Mine (Camborne School of Mines) in Troon. It was a small winder, with 10″ cylinder, a 15″ stroke with a 5ft diameter drum. The winder in 1942 was moved to Castle-an-Dinas Mine and mounted for use on the South Shaft where its small size was ideal for the mine.

Castle-an-Dinas Steam Winder 1 – The Steam Winder in its original house. This image was taken in 1945.

Whilst the winder was at Castle-an-Dinas the original winder house at King Edward Mine was destroyed in a fire. This happened in 1957, the same year that Castle-an-Dinas Mine closed.

Castle-an-Dinas Steam Winder 2 – The King Edward Mine Fire. This image was taken by Courtney Smale who was studying at the mine. This image was not released to the press until 2010, at the time of the incident the School of Mines did not allow the photograph published.

After Castle-an-Dinas Mine closed, South Crofty who owned the mine had the winder moved back to their main site. It remained here for a while when it was again moved to Wendron Forge, which later became The Poldark Mine Museum. Here it stayed on show to the public untill 2002 when the Trevithick Society purchased it.
In 2010 the Winder returned home to King Edward Mine who, in Jan 2010 recieved a grant from Cornwall Council for the restoration of the winder and the re-construction of the house that it lived in.

Castle-an-Dinas Steam Winder 3 – The foundations for the Castle-an-Dinas Steam Winder at King Edward Mine.

Castle-an-Dinas Steam Winder 4 – The Winder re-mounted on the blocks at King Edward Mine.

Castle-an-Dinas Steam Winder 5 – The Steam Winder in all its glory at home. The Winder House is a near perfect replica of the one destroyed by fire over 50 years ago.

The end of the story.
An image of a fine group of “young enthusiasts” standing infront of the “New Winder House” at King Edward Mine. From right to left: Bryan Earl the author of the definative mining book “Cornish Explosives”, Ron Hooper who taught surveying at CSM for 35 years, Tony Clarke expert in mineral processing who worked at CSM for over 30 years, Tony Brooks the King Edward Mine Administrator and former Head of Mining at CSM, Mike Sampson Manager of Geevor Tin Mine Museum, the gentleman in the blazer is Mr Courtney Smale (who took the picture of the fire which destroyed the original Winder House) formerly Manager of Goonvean & Rostowrack Clay Co, and Peter Joseph Geologist, Trevithick Society Curator.

To me, mine machinery has a life of its own. To have a Steam Winder returning home after many years is a story worth telling. The sense of achievement gained from a project like this makes all the hard work worthwhile, well done to all concerned.